Fluid-pressure mechanism.



' 1 ,4 2- PATENTED JAN.13, 1903..

H. R. MASON.

FLUID PRESSURE MECHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 8, 1901.

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Unrrnn STATES ATENT OF ICE.

HARRY R. MASON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIRBRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID=PRESSURE MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,492, dated January13, 1903.

Application filed May 8, 1901. Serial No. 59,243. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. MAsoN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFluid-Pressure Mechanism, (Case No. 2,) of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification.

My invention has relation to theprovision of an improved form offluid-pressure mechanism in which a certain controlling device isarranged to be actuated by any one of a plurality of fluid-pressures,said controlling device being combined with means whereby any one of thepressures can be brought into operation at will.

Another object of my invention is the combination, with a suitablecontrolling device or valve,of a single diaphragm subject tofluidpressure upon one of its sides and to the pressure of a spring uponits other side constructed to act as a motor for said controlling deviceor valve, said diaphragm being used in conjunction with mechanism forvarying the effective area thereof,said mechanism, as well as thecooperating parts,being illustrated in preferred form in theaccompanying drawing, in which there is shown a valve-casing 1, providedwith a fluid-pressure inlet 2 and an outlet 3, controlled by means of acontrolling device or valve 4, arranged to govern the port 5, whichestablishes communication between the inlet 2 and the outlet 3. Thevalve 4 is held by a spring 6 and nut 7 ih the movable piston 8, whichhas a spring 9 subject to ad justable tension through the adjusting-screw 10, bearing upon a shoulder 11 on the upper end of thepiston, so as to exert a pressure upon the piston tending to seat thevalve. Against the under face of the piston and held thereto by means ofthe head on the nut 7 is a diaphragm or movable abutment 12, the outerend of which is secured firmly in place in the casing 1 by means of anannular nut 13, between which and the piston there is an adjustable ringor movable bushing 14, upon the upper edge of which press a plurality ofpins 15, adapted to be forced down by rotation of the nut 16, which hasscrew-threaded engagement with the spring-case 17, the lower end whereofforms the annular nut 13.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Pressure being admittedthrough the opening 2 acts upon the diaphragm 12 to move the pistonupwardly against the resistance of the spring 9 and unseat the valve 4,the latter being raised and permitting the fluid to pass into the outlet3 as soon as the pressure acting upon the effective area of thediaphragm '12 becomes sufficiently great to overcome the resistance ofthe spring 9 as determined by the adjustment of the nut 10. When thering 14 is in the position shown in the drawing-that is, when it bearsupon the upper side of the diaphragm with the valve in closed positiononlyso much of the area of the diaphragm is available for exerting alifting force upon the valve as is contained within the inner diameterof the ring or bushing, and in such position a relatively high pressurewill be required because of the small area available to overcome apredetermined resistance of the spring 9. If now it be desired to havethe valve open at a lower pressure, the effective area of the diaphragmmay be increased by slightly unscrewing the nut 16, thus permitting thering or bushing 14 to be pushed upward by the air-pressure under thediaphragm, which has the effect substantially of bringing into operationas much additional area of the diaphragm as is represented by the areaof the end of the ring. Thus the diaphragm in combination with themechanism shown is practically a diaphragm with a variable area, and thering and the adjustingnut 16 are the means shown for securing thedesired degree of variation in the diaphragm area.

It will be clearly seen that with the mechanism which I have abovedescribed the controlling device or valve can be made to operate ateither of two pressures without the devices having been materiallycomplicated, and it will also be evident that if it were desired tocarry the invention still further a second adjustable ring or movablebushing could be inserted, with means for moving it into or out ofoperation, so that by the invention disclosed it is possible to providemeans for causing a single valve under the pressure of a single springand a single adjusting device for determining the tension of the springto be capable of actuation at any one of a plurality of pressures, asmay be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fluid-pressure mechanism, comprising a controlling-valve, a movableabutment connected therewith, means for exerting a yielding pressureupon said movable abutment in opposition to the fluid-pressure, andmechanism operable from the outside of the casing for varying theeffective area of said movable abutment, substantially as described.

2. A fluid-pressure mechanism, comprising a valve, a movable abutmenttherefor,a spring for resisting the movement of the movable abutment inopposition to the fluid-pressure,

an adjustable ring for varying the effective area of said movableabutment and means for adjusting said ring from the outside of thecasing, substantially as described.

3. A fluid-pressure mechanism, comprising a valve-casing, a valve, adiaphragm connected with said valve, a piston upon the side of saiddiaphragm opposite the side which is exposed to fluid-pressure, a springbearing upon said piston an adjustable ring adapted to bear upon saiddiaphragm outside said piston, and means for bringing said ring intocontact with said diaphragm for varying the effective area of thelatter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HARRY R. MASON. Attest:

PAUL CARPENTER, H. XV. SMALLEY.

